Dear Khalsa Ji,
It is important to translate what is said in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, to a language with which one is more familiar. It makes the individual, relatively, more aware of what Gurbani expects of her or him.
Still more important is to know how to incorporate this awareness in one’s own life. This is what it means, when one says, I have realised Gurbani. When some person achieves this level, the intent of Gurbani becomes part of that person’s being. Such individual has no more use of any text or scripture; this individual is now a living Shabad; she or he is Gurmukh; she or he is then resonating with ‘The Sat’.
With this preface, I commence my post. Today, I share with Sangat, what I understand from 20th Pauri of Anand Sahib.
1. jIAhu inrml bwhrhu inrml ] jee-ahu nirmal baahrahu nirmal.
Being is pure outward is pure (noble).
My understanding:
In this one sentence, Guru Sahib has used the word ‘Nirmal’ twice. It is important that we understand what it means. ‘Nirmal’ is a composite word from Sanskrit. The prefix ‘Nir’ means without; the root ‘Mal’ means filth, dirt. Taken together ‘Nirmal’ means: free from filth or dirt or impurities, clear, clean, stainless, unsullied, bright, sinless, virtuous.
Guru Sahib through this sentence instructs me to be what this word ‘Nirmal’ implies. Guru Sahib is not leaving thing to chance in this instruction. Guru Sahib wants my total being to be ‘Nirmal’. Guru Sahib instructs me to be ‘Nirmal’ inwardly and outwardly. It is importance to understand this instruction. Outwardly means, in my interaction with the world. Guru Sahib wants me to be ‘Nirmal’ in my dealings with others i.e. to be pure in such dealing – both in speech and in action. Inwardly means, pure in my thoughts i.e. pure in mind. An individual can appear ‘Nirmal’ outwardly but may be filthy in thoughts. This dual living cannot make the total being of the person pure or ‘Nirmal’. A ‘Nirmal’ being is pure from within and outside. This is what Guru Sahib wants me to become.
What pure living means needs to be elaborated? One is pure inside if the thoughts are not driven by the gratification of senses; when the thoughts are not polluted or driven by memories of the past adverse dealing with an individual or a group; when the thoughts are not driven by greed, lust, contempt, deceit, jealousy, enmity, envy, anger, vindictiveness etc. In other words pure thoughts stem from virtues and not from vices. Ethical and moral outward living is ‘Nirmal’. For example: if some one sells some product, naturally this person will sell at a price more than the purchase price, the profit which is to the extent which the buyer gives without duress is ethical, exploiting the buyers need for the product is unethical, i.e. black marketing is unethical. Infringing on some ones rights or belongings thorough speech or through action is immoral outward living. The being with ‘Nirmal’ i.e. pure living recognises the rights of all living beings and harmonises ones own life with all others. This being does not exploit others nor gets exploited by them.
Guru Sahib wants my total being to be ‘Nirmal’.
2. bwhrhu q inrml jIAhu inrml siqgur qy krxI kmwxI ] baahrahu ta nirmal jee-ahu nirmal satgur tay karnee kamaanee.
The person who is outwardly pure and whose the being (inside) also is pure, earns the action (blessing) of ‘The Sat’.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib here tells me that ‘Nirmal’ nature of my total being is an attribute that can qualify me for the Grace of ‘The Sat’. Again my understanding from past leaning from Gurbani is that my total being becoming Nirmal should happen in my natural course of right living; it should not be driven by the desire to receive the grace of ‘The Sat’ because then a desire is there, and ‘I’ is there, my Ahamkara is there, all these negate the state of being ‘Nirmal’. This way, I simply cannot become ‘Nirmal’. I always have this saying of a divine individual in mind:
The dharma that ‘I’ do is Karma;
The dharma that happens is divine.
This tells me that my being becoming ‘Nirmal’ should happen in a natural way without any effort on my part. This is what is called realisation, this is true Nirmalness, it is natural, and there is no pretence.
3. kUV kI soie phucY nwhI mnsw sic smwxI ] koorh kee so-ay pahuchai naahee mansaa sach samaanee.
Filth does not reach the person who is imbued with truthfulness.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib in this sentence tells me that the ‘Nirmal’ person’s life is in the realm of ‘Truth’, impurities, filth, and sins cannot reach such individuals. ‘Nirmal’ does not have any interfaces (lust, greed, jealousy, enmity, vindictiveness etc), in her or his being to which these impurities/filth can latch on. This is what probably makes such person qualify for Gurparsadi from ‘The Sat’.
4. jnmu rqnu ijnI KitAw Bly sy vxjwry ] janam ratan jinee khati-aa bhalay say vanjaaray.
Better-off are those wanderers who earn the jewel (ultimate) of their birth.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib has referred to we humans as ‘vanjaaray’ who keep moving from place to place. This analogy is appropriate because we to come and go in the cycle of rebirth. The birth in human for empowers us to attain higher level of evolution in all domains of human endeavors. Becoming spiritual, evolving into divinity and finally merging with ‘The Sat’ is possible only when one is born in human form. This possibility Guru Sahib has referred to as ‘Janam Ratan’. Those who realise this ‘Janam Ratan’ in their human life span are better off – they are blessed.
Guru Sahib has made this clear to me so that I can avail this possibility and achieve what is possible in human form alone – the divinity; the Janam Ratan.
5. khY nwnku ijn mMnu inrmlu sdw rhih gur nwly ]20] kahai naanak jin man nirmal sadaa raheh gur naalay. ||20||
Says Nanak, those whose minds are pure are always resonate with ‘The Sat’
My understanding:
Here Guru Sahib has repeated what he has been saying in different contexts right from Japji Sahib onward. There Guru Sahib had said ‘Pancha Ka Gur Ek Dhyan’. Guru Sahib has emphasised on purity of mind. This scientifically true also. The speech and actions (outward expressions) are subordinate functions under the control of mind (inward being); they implement what is ordered by the mind. Naturally those who have pure i.e. Nirmal mind are bound to be Nirmal in their speech and action too. Such person reflects the glow of ‘The Sat’; she or he is Gurmukh always resonating with ‘The Sat’.
With this I close my post on 20th Pauri of Anand Sahib.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh
It is important to translate what is said in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, to a language with which one is more familiar. It makes the individual, relatively, more aware of what Gurbani expects of her or him.
Still more important is to know how to incorporate this awareness in one’s own life. This is what it means, when one says, I have realised Gurbani. When some person achieves this level, the intent of Gurbani becomes part of that person’s being. Such individual has no more use of any text or scripture; this individual is now a living Shabad; she or he is Gurmukh; she or he is then resonating with ‘The Sat’.
With this preface, I commence my post. Today, I share with Sangat, what I understand from 20th Pauri of Anand Sahib.
1. jIAhu inrml bwhrhu inrml ] jee-ahu nirmal baahrahu nirmal.
Being is pure outward is pure (noble).
My understanding:
In this one sentence, Guru Sahib has used the word ‘Nirmal’ twice. It is important that we understand what it means. ‘Nirmal’ is a composite word from Sanskrit. The prefix ‘Nir’ means without; the root ‘Mal’ means filth, dirt. Taken together ‘Nirmal’ means: free from filth or dirt or impurities, clear, clean, stainless, unsullied, bright, sinless, virtuous.
Guru Sahib through this sentence instructs me to be what this word ‘Nirmal’ implies. Guru Sahib is not leaving thing to chance in this instruction. Guru Sahib wants my total being to be ‘Nirmal’. Guru Sahib instructs me to be ‘Nirmal’ inwardly and outwardly. It is importance to understand this instruction. Outwardly means, in my interaction with the world. Guru Sahib wants me to be ‘Nirmal’ in my dealings with others i.e. to be pure in such dealing – both in speech and in action. Inwardly means, pure in my thoughts i.e. pure in mind. An individual can appear ‘Nirmal’ outwardly but may be filthy in thoughts. This dual living cannot make the total being of the person pure or ‘Nirmal’. A ‘Nirmal’ being is pure from within and outside. This is what Guru Sahib wants me to become.
What pure living means needs to be elaborated? One is pure inside if the thoughts are not driven by the gratification of senses; when the thoughts are not polluted or driven by memories of the past adverse dealing with an individual or a group; when the thoughts are not driven by greed, lust, contempt, deceit, jealousy, enmity, envy, anger, vindictiveness etc. In other words pure thoughts stem from virtues and not from vices. Ethical and moral outward living is ‘Nirmal’. For example: if some one sells some product, naturally this person will sell at a price more than the purchase price, the profit which is to the extent which the buyer gives without duress is ethical, exploiting the buyers need for the product is unethical, i.e. black marketing is unethical. Infringing on some ones rights or belongings thorough speech or through action is immoral outward living. The being with ‘Nirmal’ i.e. pure living recognises the rights of all living beings and harmonises ones own life with all others. This being does not exploit others nor gets exploited by them.
Guru Sahib wants my total being to be ‘Nirmal’.
2. bwhrhu q inrml jIAhu inrml siqgur qy krxI kmwxI ] baahrahu ta nirmal jee-ahu nirmal satgur tay karnee kamaanee.
The person who is outwardly pure and whose the being (inside) also is pure, earns the action (blessing) of ‘The Sat’.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib here tells me that ‘Nirmal’ nature of my total being is an attribute that can qualify me for the Grace of ‘The Sat’. Again my understanding from past leaning from Gurbani is that my total being becoming Nirmal should happen in my natural course of right living; it should not be driven by the desire to receive the grace of ‘The Sat’ because then a desire is there, and ‘I’ is there, my Ahamkara is there, all these negate the state of being ‘Nirmal’. This way, I simply cannot become ‘Nirmal’. I always have this saying of a divine individual in mind:
The dharma that ‘I’ do is Karma;
The dharma that happens is divine.
This tells me that my being becoming ‘Nirmal’ should happen in a natural way without any effort on my part. This is what is called realisation, this is true Nirmalness, it is natural, and there is no pretence.
3. kUV kI soie phucY nwhI mnsw sic smwxI ] koorh kee so-ay pahuchai naahee mansaa sach samaanee.
Filth does not reach the person who is imbued with truthfulness.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib in this sentence tells me that the ‘Nirmal’ person’s life is in the realm of ‘Truth’, impurities, filth, and sins cannot reach such individuals. ‘Nirmal’ does not have any interfaces (lust, greed, jealousy, enmity, vindictiveness etc), in her or his being to which these impurities/filth can latch on. This is what probably makes such person qualify for Gurparsadi from ‘The Sat’.
4. jnmu rqnu ijnI KitAw Bly sy vxjwry ] janam ratan jinee khati-aa bhalay say vanjaaray.
Better-off are those wanderers who earn the jewel (ultimate) of their birth.
My understanding:
Guru Sahib has referred to we humans as ‘vanjaaray’ who keep moving from place to place. This analogy is appropriate because we to come and go in the cycle of rebirth. The birth in human for empowers us to attain higher level of evolution in all domains of human endeavors. Becoming spiritual, evolving into divinity and finally merging with ‘The Sat’ is possible only when one is born in human form. This possibility Guru Sahib has referred to as ‘Janam Ratan’. Those who realise this ‘Janam Ratan’ in their human life span are better off – they are blessed.
Guru Sahib has made this clear to me so that I can avail this possibility and achieve what is possible in human form alone – the divinity; the Janam Ratan.
5. khY nwnku ijn mMnu inrmlu sdw rhih gur nwly ]20] kahai naanak jin man nirmal sadaa raheh gur naalay. ||20||
Says Nanak, those whose minds are pure are always resonate with ‘The Sat’
My understanding:
Here Guru Sahib has repeated what he has been saying in different contexts right from Japji Sahib onward. There Guru Sahib had said ‘Pancha Ka Gur Ek Dhyan’. Guru Sahib has emphasised on purity of mind. This scientifically true also. The speech and actions (outward expressions) are subordinate functions under the control of mind (inward being); they implement what is ordered by the mind. Naturally those who have pure i.e. Nirmal mind are bound to be Nirmal in their speech and action too. Such person reflects the glow of ‘The Sat’; she or he is Gurmukh always resonating with ‘The Sat’.
With this I close my post on 20th Pauri of Anand Sahib.
With love and respect for all.
Amarpal Singh